Low calorie diet could reduce osteoarthritis study reveals

Heavier people put more weight on their joints, which can lead to an increase in their level of discomfort.

A low calorie and high protein diet could help patients with osteoarthritis to lose weight and reduce knee pain, according to a new study.

Scientists in Denmark carried out a four month study on a group of obese patients and found that 90% of the participants managed to lose an average of 30 pounds each by eating a 400-to-1200 calorie-a-day diet.

Six out of ten patients reported an improvement in their mobility and a reduction in knee pain at the end of the trial, researcher Robin Christensen revealed, which suggest that a strict diet could be an effective way to treat osteoarthritis.

However, Sharon L. Kolasinski, MD, head of the division of rheumatology at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey, said the findings may have their failings: “This was a 16-week [trial] which, admittedly, resulted in impressive weight loss. But we don’t know what happened to these patients 6 months later. Very rapid weight loss is almost inevitably followed by very rapid weight gain when patients go off the diet and go back to eating real food.”